194 THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS, — (1818. | 
After having given an extract from these evidences , Prof. Prck says: 
“The accounts of all these persons are very consistent; to the 
greater part it appeared to be straight, or without gibbosities or 
protuberances on the back; one person thought it had protuberances, 
but it seems probable that the upper flexures of its undulations 
occasioned this opinion.” 
“Its velocity is variously estimated; by some it was thought to 
move a mile in a minute, by others in three, four, or five minutes. 
It has great lateral flexibility, as 1s shewn by its turning short and 
moving in an exactly contrary direction, advancing the head in a 
line parallel with the body; hence its undulations when under water 
and equally surrounded by the medium, may be either vertical or 
horizontal at the will of the animal. The judgment of its velocity, 
however, without knowing its precise distance and without instru- 
ments to observe it, is extremely liable to err.” 
“In the testimonies above referred to, the imagination seems to 
have had no influence, and we certainly know from them, that 
the existence of the animal to which they relate is indisputable; 
we know that it moves by vertical undulations, at least while near 
the surface of the sea; that it is laterally as flexible as other ser- 
pents; and that its motion, at times, is very swift; but our knowledge 
is circumscribed by these limits. It is to be hoped, that if it again 
visits our shores, some successful means may be devised of taking 
it and presenting an opportunity of completing our knowledge of 
so interesting a link im the chain of animated beings.” 
»lt has been seen in Long Island sound, progressing southward ; 
it seems from this circumstance to be migratory, like the Coluber 
natrix in Hungary, and may pass the winter season in Mexico or 
South America.” 
A remarkable fact is it that Prof. Puck really believes that it 
was a sea-snake of enormous dimensions! 
The Journal of Science and the Arts, edited at the Royal In- 
stitution of Great Britain, republished in its fourth Vol. (London, 
1818) the affidavits of Mssrs Lonson Nasa and WiiutaMm B. Pearson, 
(n°. 41, p. 170, and n°. 44, p. 177) and the writer of the article 
declares: ,,the existence of the animal is placed beyond doubt.” 
Now we are in 1892, and yet it is doubted ! 
